McGinnis: E3′s Coming Attractions: New titles announced at gaming event

As the “Art of Video Games” exhibit opens at the Toledo Museum of Art, visitors will begin taking a trip back to the past, looking at gaming’s history and the evolution of interactive entertainment. But for modern gamers, it’s just as exciting to look ahead to the future — as symbolized by the yearly arrival of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

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At this annual trade show, held this year beginning on June 10, companies discuss the new and exciting things on tap for their brands, platforms and more. And while updates on titles fans already knew about are welcome, the most exciting developments are when brand new games are unveiled to the world. Here are just a handful of titles announced at E3 that have gamers salivating:

“Bloodborne” (PS4) — From Software, the company that tormented gamers the world over with their devilishly hard “Demon’s Souls” on PlayStation 3, returns with a “spiritual successor” placed in a Victorian setting. Dark and moody with exciting combat, the trailer wowed at Sony’s press conference, though few additional details were to be had.

“Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker” (Wii U) — It’s time for the fungus to take center stage. Announced at Nintendo’s digital conference, “Captain Toad” is a puzzle/platforming game based on the minigames gamers found so charming in “Super Mario 3D World.” Is the concept enough to carry a whole game?

“Dead Island 2″ (PS4/Xbox One/PC) — Okay, it’s not really an “island” anymore. The new installment in the action/RPG series is set in California, which is about as land-locked as it gets. But the “Dead” part is still very accurate, as players will once more take up arms against an army of zombies and use their wits (and whatever weapons they can find) to survive.

“Halo: Master Chief Collection” (Xbox One) — Admittedly not a “new” game, but this is one of the most tempting deals E3 had to offer. A deluxe collection bringing together “Halo” 1, 2, 3 and 4, all upgraded to 1080p and 60 frames per second, and with all the classic multiplayer modes intact? For only $59.99? This might be hard to pass up.

“Inside” (Xbox One) — Indie developer Playdead creeped out and fascinated gamers the world over with its sleeper hit “Limbo.” Now they’re back with a new game that seems to keep the original’s side-scrolling aesthetic while placing gamers in a more futuristic setting.

“The Legend of Zelda for Wii U” (well, Wii U. Duh.) — Details are few and far between for the latest adventure in Nintendo’s iconic fantasy series, but a trailer shown to audiences at E3 was enough to get most players excited. It seemed to hint at a far more open world to explore than in past games, leading many to wonder if the new “Zelda” is the kind of system-selling title the Wii U needs.

“Little Big Planet 3″ (PS4/PS3) — One of Sony’s deepest and most adorable gaming franchises returns with a new installment. In an onstage demo, new developers Sumo Digital revealed that original character Sackboy will be accompanied by several new playable characters, and that all the levels made by gamers for “LBP” 1 and 2 will still be playable on the new game.

“Let It Die” (PS4) — One of the most enigmatic and popular gaming designers in the world goes by the name Suda 51, and it generated a ton of excitement when Sony announced his latest game would be a PS4 exclusive. Details are elusive, but we now know the game will be free-to-play, with all the hyper-violence and unique settings fans expect from a Suda 51 title.

“Mario Maker” (Wii U) — Perhaps the most intriguing title announced by Nintendo was this platform-creator, where gamers are given the chance to craft their own Mario levels, “Little Big Planet”-style, using original art assets from games throughout the beloved plumber’s past.

“Mirror’s Edge 2″ (PS4/Xbox One/PC) — The original “Mirror’s Edge” was a cult hit last generation, so anticipation was high for the follow-up, which is not a sequel so much as a prequel/reboot/whatever. It apparently isn’t being called “2,” either, but just “Mirror’s Edge,” adding to the confusion, but fans looking for more first-person parkour action will be more than happy either way.

“Rise of the Tomb Raider” (PS4/Xbox One/PC) — The 2013 reboot of Lara Croft’s adventures was one of the best games of its year, so it was great news to learn that a follow-up from Square Enix is on its way. Another game, “Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris” — a sequel to the excellent multiplayer title “Guardian of Light” — was announced, as well.

“Scalebound” (Xbox One) — Platinum Games, the developers of titles like “Bayonetta” and “Vanquish,” announced their next title as an Xbox One exclusive. Little is known outside the trailer, which featured characters taming and befriending dragons — and let’s be honest here, that’s enough to get excited about, isn’t it?

“Splatoon” (Wii U) — One of the most colorful new offerings on tap from Nintendo was this third-person shooter where players take control of squid/human hybrids and battle each other by spraying ink. It’s bizarre, it’s unique, it’s weird, and it looks like a ton of fun.